The Heart of Subspace
by ZachaRicO
Summary: The pathway to the enemy's residence is open. What waits inside? The answer may surprise them, and haunt one of their number for a long time to come. Based on the final battle of The Subspace Emissary


"So this is the heart of Subspace."

His words echoed, seemingly endlessly, across the dark void in front of him. It was a void that was only capable of taking, never giving: consuming, never creating. The only way he figured that he and his allies would be able to take back what this void stole would be to take it by force.

That was easier said than done. They had already suffered a crushing, ruinous defeat earlier that would have been the end, were it not for an unexpected ally's plan of survival. Even after that, they were forced to traverse a massive, cruel maze in order to unlock the door he now stood in front of. The whole ordeal had left them exhausted, forcing him to wonder if they even had what it took to end the battle once and for all. But it didn't matter. They were here now; turning back was not an option. If they ultimately lost, then they would lose fighting to their last breath.

" _So you made it here after all, then._ "

He got into a battle stance as the mysterious blue being appeared in front of him. Though it was humanoid in appearance, it appeared to be made of some kind of light energy.

" _It seems the so-called King of Dream Land's plan worked_ ," the being said, hovering above them. " _Impressive. You and your allies are more resourceful than I thought._ "

The young man stared at the blue being, loosening his stance before walking forward.

" _But your journey ends here. There is nowhere else to go. As such, I will give you a choice: turn back now, and never fight me again, or fight and be destroyed._ " The young man didn't even flinch at the being's warning. " _Please, think about what you are doing. This doesn't have to go and farther._ "

"It's already gone too far," the young man snapped back, now standing near the ledge. "You swallow our universe in darkness to merge it with your own, and then you try to kill us all with one flap of your wings! Your plans for our universe end _now_." The realm surrounding him suddenly resounded with a strange, positive vibe. He jumped back slightly, startled by the feeling. He blinked. "What did you just do?" he asked, defensive.

" _I chuckled_ ," the being replied. " _I've heard many tales of your resolve, Ash, and I never had the chance to see if they were true...until now._ " The positive vibrations returned, startling Ash once again. " _You have not disappointed me._ "

"You...know me?" Ash blinked, stunned.

" _You're not the first creature to be cursed with power_ ," the being replied, seemingly bitter. Ash noted that the atmosphere became slightly heavier as he spoke. " _And you won't be the last to be cursed with knowledge._ "

"What knowledge?" he snapped back. "And what do you mean by 'cursed with power?'"

" _Don't play the fool with me,_ " the being snapped. " _You know you hold a power deep within: a power that tunes you in with the energy that flows through the universe._ "

Ash's eyes widened slightly when he realized what the being was referring to. "My aura…"

" _Yes,_ " the being nodded. " _We have more in common than you think, Ash: cursed with such power that we can do nothing to escape from._ "

"What are you talking about?" Ash growled, hiding his confusion behind an angry face. "You see your power as a curse?"

" _More than a curse,_ " the being replied. " _A fate worse than death: the death I longed for when my people were exterminated._ "

"Exterminated?" Ash gasped, his expression softening enough to show his surprise. Nevertheless, he remained cautious. "Wait...there are others like you?"

" _No,_ " the being replied, his tone becoming sad as he looked down to the side. The atmosphere grew heavy once again as a light mist blew in. " _My people were much more like you;_ _ **I**_ _was more like you._ "

"What do you mean?" Ash asked, genuinely curious. Nevertheless, he didn't let his guard down.

" _The world you stand in now, Subspace, wasn't always the endless void you see. It was my home, much like your own world is your home. And just like your home, I and my people lived our lives. We laughed, we cried, and we fought. We ate, we drank, and we slept. We lived our lives in blissful ignorance._ "

"Ignorance?"

" _I was a freak among my people, hated by all. My parents only cared for my needs because they had to. I was treated with contempt by my brothers, my sisters, my peers. Even the creatures we kept as companions loathed my very scent. They called me many names, but there was one they called me more than any other._ "

"What was that?"

The atmosphere became so heavy for a moment that it was difficult to breath. " _ **TABUU.**_ "

Ash shuddered. "Is that your name, then?"

" _No,_ " Tabuu replied sadly. " _I don't remember my original name. It has been so long since anyone used it in reference to me. But it no longer matters. The only name that matters now is the one I call myself. It is a reminder of my heritage, and of what I must do to ensure that their demise was not in vain._ "

"And what is that?" Ash growled, knowing what Tabuu meant. "Destroy other worlds in petty revenge?"

" _No,_ " Tabuu growled back, as the atmosphere grew hot for a moment. " _If I wanted to destroy your world, I would have already done so. Everything that I have done, I have done with one objective in mind: to_ _ **save**_ _your world._ "

Ash's eyes widened in shock and anger. He opened his mouth to shout in rage against this monster for daring to even suggest that all the crimes he had committed against the universe were for anything but destruction. But Tabuu's earlier words echoed in his head, reminding him that whatever this being may have done, something else was behind it: something that wasn't as evil as it seemed, maybe even...noble? Deciding to hear him out, he held back his anger and calmed himself, choosing his next words carefully.

"Save it?" he repeated. "From what?"

" _The darkness that devours all things,_ " Tabuu continued. " _My people may have hated me, but I found consolation in the legends of our world. I found them so fascinating that I threw myself into studying them. But my enjoyment of such studies was short-lived, as I saw a terrifying connection lurking underneath our legends. Our legends spoke of an ancient primitive evil that consumed worlds like yours on a regular basis. As I compared my notes from my studies, I realized that this darkness would soon come for our world._ "

Ash's eyes widened. "You tried to warn them," he deduced.

" _Yes,_ " Tabuu said, his stoic voice shaking. The mist that surrounded Ash grew thicker, and he felt a dew-like substance begin to settle on his clothes. " _I first told my parents, but they didn't believe me. Nor did my peers, nor did our leaders. They called me a fool for believing the legends._ " For a moment, the atmosphere grew hot again. " _Our leaders didn't care for us. They were happy to leave us to die._ "

"What happened then?"

The mist returned. " _What I warned them of came to pass. The darkness emerged, breaking the sky apart, and consumed us all. I tried to save my people, but they rejected my aid, still hating me for my deformities._ "

"But how did you survive?" Ash asked.

The atmosphere grew hot again, as the mist faded away. " _I fought back against the darkness, desperately trying to stop it from consuming my people. But I was not powerful enough. Worse, the darkness punished me for my resistance. Rather than kill me, it chose instead to let me live in constant agony and misery. As such, it destroyed my body and placed my spirit into this form you see before you now. Worse, it knew that I wished to warn other worlds of the coming danger, so it bound me to this world: Subspace. You see, I do not merely exist within Subspace; I_ _ **am**_ _Subspace._ "

Ash looked at the being hovering above him with a mix of sympathy and resolve. "You lost your home to darkness," he mused, "and have spent who-knows-how-long trapped in this eternal prison."

" _Yes,_ " Tabuu replied somberly. " _Since I was trapped in here, I have been tormented by the unending darkness surrounding me, all while I am forced to look on at the beauty and splendor of other worlds. All the while, I am reminded of my own world, once full of life and happiness. Watching others enjoy what I once had for so long, I grew desperate. I may even have gone mad._ "

"Maybe," Ash scoffed.

" _That's why I assembled my army,_ " Tabuu went on. " _I could not leave Subspace, but if I were to send an emissary into your world to carry out my will, perhaps I could save your world and thwart the darkness._ "

"And to do that, you hired the worst of the worst," Ash scoffed again.

" _I had no choice._ _They were the only ones who would do what was necessary._ "

"And you obliterated the R.O.B.s!" Ash shouted.

The atmosphere burned again. " _I promised the R.O.B.s that they would not be exterminated,_ " Tabuu growled, though his anger seemed to be directed elsewhere. " _What happened to them was not what I commanded. It was Ganondorf who chose to destroy them all, just so he could watch them burn. I made sure to punish him for his actions before you arrived to confront me._ " He turned his head to the side somberly. " _But it makes little matter now. The Isle of the Ancients is gone, as are the R.O.B.s._ "

Ash clenched his fists before reaching for a Pokeball on his belt. "When we're through with you, you're gonna be joining them!" he declared, holding his ball up in challenge.

Tabuu looked at him incredulously. " _You still intend to oppose me?_ " he asked. A breeze began to blow through towards him. " _How can you fail to understand? I am only working to ensure that what became of my people will never happen again! Believe me or don't believe me, it doesn't matter. The darkness is coming, and one day, it_ _ **will**_ _find you._ "

"If you could open your eyes, then you would see that you are becoming the very thing that you hate!" Ash shouted back. The wind grew stronger. "You've enslaved innocent people for your cause and exterminated an entire race, leaving one survivor! Whatever drives your actions doesn't make them right, and if this darkness you speak of does come to our world, then we will fight back against it!"

" _I spent so much time assembling my army,_ " Tabuu growled. The wind was now very strong, and Ash suddenly realized why. Tabuu's wings were unfurling! " _It took an eternity to begin preparations for this moment. If I should fall in defeat, there will be no second chance. I could not reassemble my forces should they scatter, nor could I amass the technology to once again save your world without the Isle of the Ancients._ " His wings spread out as energy convulsed around him. " _ **I WILL NOT FAIL!**_ "

Ash braced himself for impact, shielding his eyes from the energy Tabuu was charging by raising his arms across his face. Tabuu's power was too great to withstand. If he unleashed it -

" _ **GRAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!**_ "

"What?!" Ash cried, looking up in shock. He looked up just in time to see a streak of blue vanish along a path leading through Tabuu's left wing. The wing was broken, as if something had rammed through it. Ash didn't have time to process this, however, as a second blue streak shot through his right wing, breaking that one as well. Tabuu screamed in pain once again, but Ash was too busy following the blue streak. It came to a stop and revealed its form.

"No way," he breathed in amazement, his eyes glimmering. "Is it really you?"

"Sorry, Tabuu," the one who destroyed the being's wings said, turning towards him while wagging his finger, "but the Baseball Head's right! You're going down like a chandelier!"

"SONIC!" Ash cried, overjoyed as he ran to the blue hedgehog. Sonic turned and looked at him with a smile.

"Hey, Ash," he smiled. "Long time no see."

Ash knelt down and hugged him tightly. "I thought I'd never see you again," he whispered.

"Yeah, me too," Sonic choked, "but don't you think this is a little awkward?"

"Sorry," he chuckled, loosening his grip. "I guess I got a little -"

" _ **NOOOOOOOOOO!**_ "

The two of them turned on hearing the sudden cry of rage. Tabuu expelled the fragments of his wings in rage. Ash looked closely and noticed that a different sort of energy was slithering around his wings in the places where they were shattered. "I think he's repairing them!" he exclaimed.

"Then we better take him down quick!" Sonic agreed. "Let's save the heartwarming reunion for later!"

"Right!" Ash agreed as they got into a battle stance.

* * *

A bright light shone in the sky, illuminating the recovering world. The heroes, having returned to their home worlds, all watched in awe as it gracefully shone. It was a monument to their victory: victory over the Subspace army. Brightly as it shone, however, it could not stay forever, and after several hours had passed, it faded from the sky.

"I was wondering if I'd ever escape from there," Sonic muttered. "It's not a very pleasant place to live. Besides, I like the sunny skies of Kanto better." Ash listened to his friend's rambling and chuckled. "What?" Sonic asked. "What's so funny?"

"You sound older," Ash replied.

Sonic blinked. "Do I?"

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "Your voice has gotten a little deeper since we last saw each other."

"Huh," Sonic muttered. "Guess all that time in another dimension did stuff to me." He turned to Ash. "You _look_ older."

"Well, that's probably because I am," Ash replied. "I was going on 18 when you disappeared. Now I'm 19."

"Ah!" Sonic exclaimed. "So it's been less than two years since I left, huh?"

"Yeah," Ash nodded, his face becoming sad. Sonic noticed this and walked up to him.

"Hey," he said, "I know we lost a lot of time, but we've got plenty more ahead of us. Let's make the most of it, okay?"

"I know," Ash said, turning to him with a sad frown. "It's just...it feels like you're back from the dead. Do you have any idea how much we've all missed you? Do you know how much _I've_ missed you?"

"Probably not," Sonic admitted with a shrug. "Guess I've got some catching up to do with Tails and Knuckles...and Eggman."

The two of them chuckled, then turned their attention back to the sky. Ash had an uneasy look on his face as he gazed onward. Sonic noticed this.

"You still wish we could get that time back?" he asked.

"No, it's not that," Ash replied. "It's what Tabuu said."

"Tabuu?" Sonic blinked. "What about him?"

"His world was consumed by some dark force," he explained. "He tried to warn his people, but they ignored him. When that dark force came, it obliterated them all. He was spared, only to be trapped inside Subspace. He told me that everything that he did, he did to save us from the darkness." He looked back to the sky as a feeling of dread washed over him. "If he's right, and that darkness does come for us, will we be able to stop it?"

"Of course we will," Sonic assured him. "Even if we have to make 14,000,605 different plans to stop it."

"I think one would be enough," Ash smirked. The two of them chuckled, then went their separate ways. Although peace had finally returned to the world, Tabuu's warnings continued to haunt Ash long after the battle's end:

 _The darkness is coming, and one day, it will find you._

* * *

 **I want to write more Smash Bros. stuff this year. After all, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the greatest video game series of all time! Change my mind.**

 **I got the idea for this story from Tabuu's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a spirit. While there are plenty of spirits in the game who are technically dead, Tabuu is more of an ambiguous case when you really think about it. While his last appearance showed him convulsing in pain as he glowed bright, indicating an incoming explosion, we never actually saw his destruction. It may be that, rather than being destroyed, he was simply weakened enough that he lost control over Subspace, freeing the realms he had stolen from the World of Trophies and leaving his home barren once again. He remains there for some time until Galeem unleashes his attack and turns him into a spirit.**

 **As for giving Tabuu a sympathetic backstory...if you don't know where I got the inspiration from that, then get out from that rock you've been sitting under for the past decade and start living your life, pal.**

 **Just kidding.**

 **Lastly, I want to address a few reviews I've gotten asking me to continue my Sonic-Pokemon Crossover series. The reason that's been on hold is because I needed to bring Sonic back to the world of Pokemon. My idea for doing that was integrating the Sonic-Pokemon series into a potential Smash Bros. crossover series. However, I realized that such an ambition was too much for one writer to accomplish alone, especially one whose gaming knowledge only goes so far. So I got stuck in a bit of a limbo, wondering how to bring Sonic back. Then I got the idea for this story, and I just decided, "Screw it. I'm bringing him back, even if this isn't the full story." So there. I'd like to post a new Sonic-Pokemon story within the year, but time will tell whether that works out.  
**

 **I think I did okay with this piece. Personally, my favorite part of writing this was expressing Tabuu's emotions through the atmosphere of Subspace. What did you think? Feel free to rate and review, but please read the review guidelines on my profile before doing so. Thanks for reading, and I'll catch ya later!**


End file.
